Fulton laying water main on McGinnis Ferry

$1.24M project to take 8 months to complete

Posted
Tuesday, January 8, 2013 12:00 am

HATCHER HURD

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NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Fulton and Forsyth motorists who use McGinnis Ferry Road may have already noticed Fulton County Water Resources Department crews on the south side of the road preparing for a $1.24 million piping project.

Work crews from the Fulton County are installing almost a mile (5,160 linear feet) of 16-inch diameter water main pipe along McGinnis Ferry Road starting from Bethany Bend within the city of Milton and proceeding east across Ga. 400 into Alpharetta. The pipe will turn right off of McGinnis Ferry onto Windward Concourse and end at Alderman Drive.

Senior Construction Project Manager Mike Wallochik said the project will increase water capacity and water pressure in one of the last areas of the system in North Fulton that needs to link up.

“This is a new line. It will allow the county to provide improved fire protection, increase water pressure, reliability and reduction of water main breaks by creating a loop with the water mains and bring additional flow to the west side of Ga. 400,” Wallochik said. “Water systems work best when the 'loop' is complete. That way if there is trouble on the line, service is never completely blocked off. It also will ensure there is plenty of water pressure for fire hydrants in the area, which is always a big safety concern,.”

With the pipe going along the right of way, the work will not impede traffic to any great extent except on Windward Concourse. There it will be necessary to shut down one of the southbound lanes.

One southbound lane on Windward Concourse will remain open at all times, Wallochik said.

“The rest of the time, it should only be the occasional flagman stopping traffic to let a truck out onto the road,” Wallochik said.

Daily activities will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. No weekend work is contemplated. No water service interruptions are planned for this project which is scheduled to take 270 days and be completed by Aug. 15 or sooner.

Traffic on McGinnis Ferry will have temporary work closures during normal working hours by flagmen since all work on McGinnis Ferry is off-road in the right of way. Sidewalks will be closed on the south side of McGinnis Ferry due to the work.

Any trenches or open pits will be protected from the public with normal means (safety fence, caution tape and other measures).

The intersection of Alderman Drive and Windward Concourse will have flagmen directing traffic at the northwest corner when work is performed in that location.

The project will be paid for by the Water and Sewer Renewal and Extension Fund, which is to say the water customers. No funds come from the county’s the General Fund.